Posts Tagged netherlands
A slippery problem
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Economics, European Union, Politics on 21/02/2011
It was reported over the weekend that the Icelandic President Olafur Grimsson, has called for a national referendum on the new plan for repaying British and Dutch loans made as a result of the ‘Icesave’ fiasco. The two countries loaned Iceland €4 billion to bail out the country’s deposit insurance scheme, which could not afford to compensate British and Dutch depositors, when the Icesave savings scheme collapsed. Aside from the political ramifications of the on-going dispute, it raises wider issues about international financial supervision and insurance schemes, as well as a more pressing problem about financial responsibility.
The NHS: going Dutch?
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 16/08/2010
Good article in the FT today by Nick Timmins on possible future direction of NHS… competing health insurers (or GP consortia) along the lines of the acclaimed Dutch health system. For a bit more flesh on the bones as to how such a transformation could be achieved have a read of this book and article published by Civitas 3 years ago. This article by Gwyn Bevan of the LSE is also worth a scan.
Still the sick man of Europe
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 13/03/2008
A new report, published in the latest edition of the Civitas Review, argues NHS performance on efficiency, quality and – most damagingly so far as its ideals are concerned – equity, has flailed badly over the past ten years despite record increases in funding.
The problems are systemic. The undeniable talents of doctors, nurses and health care professionals working in the NHS are being stymied by perverse incentives created by Whitehall.
The NHS needs to be considering more radical options than those under review by Lord Darzi: it should be looking to Europe, and particularly the Netherlands, for better ways of providing universal and comprehensive health care. To read the report click here.